Numbers 22:30–41

³⁰And the donkey said to Balaam, “Am I not your donkey on which you have ridden all your life to this day? Have I ever been accustomed to do so to you?” And he said, “No.”

³¹Then Yahweh opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw ^athe angel of Yahweh standing in the way with his drawn sword in his hand; and he bowed his head down ¹and prostrated himself to the ground.

³²And the angel of Yahweh said to him, “Why have you struck your donkey these three times? Behold, I have come out as an adversary because your way was ^1acontrary to me.

³³“And the donkey saw me and turned aside from me these three times. If it had not turned aside from me, I would surely have killed you just now, and let it live.”

³⁴And Balaam said to the angel of Yahweh, “^aI have sinned, for I did not know that you were standing in the way against me. So now, if it is evil in your sight, I will turn back.”

³⁵But the angel of Yahweh said to Balaam, “Go with the men, but ^ayou shall speak only the word which I ¹tell you.” So Balaam went along with the leaders of Balak.

³⁶Then Balak heard that Balaam was coming and went out to meet him at the city of Moab, which is on the Arnon border, ¹at the end of the border.

³⁷Then Balak said to Balaam, “Did I not urgently send to you to call you? Why did you not come to me? Am I indeed unable to honor you?”

³⁸So Balaam said to Balak, “Behold, I have come now to you! ^aAm I able to speak anything at all? The word that God puts in my mouth, that I shall speak.”

³⁹And Balaam went with Balak, and they came to Kiriath-huzoth.

⁴⁰And Balak sacrificed oxen and sheep, and sent some to Balaam and the leaders who were with him.

⁴¹Then it happened in the morning that Balak took Balaam and brought him up to ^1athe high places of Baal, and he saw from there the ^bend of the camp of the people.